Protect Your Skin During Haze Season

The forest fires in Indonesia have caused Singapore to be shrouded in smog the past few weeks, and the news has even reported that it’ll be here till the end of November. Unless something drastic is done to combat the haze soon, it looks like it’ll be here to stay for quite a while!

Other than its stench, the haze carries with it dust particles that are harmful to our health and our skin. Our skin is our largest organ, so it is vital that we take extra care of it. Besides masking up while you are outdoors, here are 5 other ways you can care for your skin during this haze season.

Don't you wish we had easier access to gas masks?

1. Put on more sunblock & sunscreen lotionThe haze traps and redistributes UV radiation in the atmosphere so that we are exposed to more UV radiation. Protect yourself by putting on sunblock or sunscreen lotion with a high SPF or PA rating before you leave your home. If you’re going to be outdoors for a long time, it might be wise to carry extra lotion so you can apply it every few hours.

2. Cleanse & exfoliate Unless you’ve cooped yourself up at home the entire time, chances are you have been exposed to all the dirt and dust particles floating around in the polluted air. A lot of the grim would probably have landed on your skin, so cleansing and exfoliating your skin regularly will remove them from your body and unclog your pores.

3. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise The dust that is carried by the smog dries out our skin and causes irritation, more so for those of us who have sensitive skin or who suffer from skin allergies (that’s me!). Prevent your skin from drying out quickly by applying moisturiser at least 2 to 3 times a day, and even while you are indoors. You may also want to consider applying facial masks for extra hydration and to soothe irritated skin.

4. Load up on antioxidants Smoke particles blown about by the haze carries free radicals that depletes the level of oxygen in our bodies, causing pre-mature aging and wrinkles to form. Consuming food that are rich in both vitamin C and antioxidants such as oranges, mangoes, berries, spinach and broccoli will help to boost your immunity system and keep the supply of antioxidants in your body to fight these free radicals. You can also apply a strong serum that contains antioxidants to strengthen and heal your skin from the damage caused.

5. Use an air purifier While indoors, it is good that you turn on your air purifier to filter out pollutants that are invisible to the naked eye and cleanse the air around you. Remember to keep your windows closed while your air purifier is on as it might defeat the purpose if you leave them open.

6. Drink lots of waterOur skin (and lungs) suffer the most from the polluted air as they absorb all the toxins. By drinking a lot of water throughout the way, you’ll be able to purge these unwanted substances from your body and hydrate your throat to prevent further irritation to it.

Keep healthy and hydrated… Let’s battle the haze together and cross our fingers that this smog will leave us soon!